The Insiders Podcast: Caleb Williams Reports to Training Camp and the State of the AFC West

Published Jul 20, 2024, 1:22 AM

NFL Network Insider Tom Peliserro is joined by Steve Wyche on The Insiders Podcast. Hear from Caleb Williams as he speaks for the first time since reporting to Bears training camp. Reporter Cam Wolfe discusses the AFC South including Brian Thomas' impact on the Jaguars offense and how will Anthony Richardson fare coming off his shoulder injury in year 2. Plus, Jets LB Jermaine Johnson discusses the Jets outlook for next season, Aaron Rodgers, and his development ahead of training camp. Adam Rank takes you through the State of the AFC West... Will the Chiefs reign supreme once again? Finally, who should be the USA QB for the 2028 Olympic Flag Football team? Find out Tom & Steve's picks! 

Does Patrick Mahomes really need more weapons? Well he got another one.

Rookie tight end Jared Wiley among the first year players and quarterbacks working out at Chiefs training camp in.

Saint Joseph, Missouri.

Meanwhile in Houston, the full Texans squad out there for the second consecutive day, led onto the field by C. J. Stroud, All thirty two teams reporting the training camp in the next five days. We've already reported for duty.

Here.

Welcome inside with the insiders alongside Steve Watch, I am Tom Pellisero, jam packed Friday night show for you. Jermaine Johnson, Jets defensive end, going to join the show, his thoughts on that Jets defense, Aaron Rodgers, and a whole lot more. We got the AFC West State of the franchise. As that series continues here, we're going to continue to put together a flag football.

Team to the Olympics. Why not, it's four years away. We got to get planning.

Folks will talk Panthers, We'll talk a whole lot of other teams, but let's talk right now about the full squad that reported today.

That is the Chicago Bears.

And I can never get enough of these shots of the players coming in, you're checking out. I mainly look at the cars, Steve and making sure they blurred all the license plates.

We don't want any trouble.

There is anyone gonna show up in overalls.

Oy Caleb Williams, as far as I'm aware, no overalls for him, but he did get a chance to speak with those lovely reporters in Chicago.

I wouldn't say that we're all starting from the same spot because there's guys like Keenan where he he you know, he came in and you know, I May We were in the hotel together for a while and and and we'd be sitting down just you know, eating dinner and playing cards and then we'd you know, have a break and we rattle off some plays. And that was when I was first learning and and and he kind of have like an idea of what the play was. So it's nice having you know, people like that around, you know, a couple of vets, and I know it helps rooms have people like that around to where it's you know, when you get out there, he's teaching you movements, he's teaching you how you know works in the NFL.

Have people behind me. Brett Brett Tyson.

They've played, they've been in it, they've been with other you know, great, great quarterbacks.

So it's only helping. But you know, we're really excited.

The bar is certainly high for the number one overall pick of the Chicago Bears. Caleb Williams steve the bar very low for Bears quarterbacks historically, over all the past sixty years or so, it's been certainly a motley crew. This now is what Kayleb Williams is walking into a better situation that we've seen for a lot of number one picks through the years, with all the additions that they made, the weaponry they put around him, also the defense that they have with Matt Eberflus here, what are your expectations, What do you be watching for as Caleb Williams and the Bears get out there as a whole on the practice field starting tomorrow.

Well, I love Matt Eberflus came out today and said he's gonna play between forty five and fifty five snaps in preseason games. Remember they have four preseason games because they're playing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, And this could be something where we see him even in that game, get a series or two, and then you double it the next game. In a third preseason game, you let him play a half and maybe start the third quarter, and then you sit him for that final preseason game. But I think that will get him everything from getting used to stretch lines, to stadiums to everything. The little quirtch we don't necessarily think about kind of that go with the game itself.

That'll get him ready. Tom and I think it's very important.

In the preseason with the Bears, with this improved roster, getting him ready to start Week one.

They got an experienced play caller in Shane Walders came over there from Saley's worked with different types of quarterbacks through the years. He's got a lot of weapons around him. When you look at the Keenan Allen acquisition, when you look at DJ Moore still being there in Roe Madoonsa and signing DeAndre Swift cold the Bears seemed to draft the tight end every year for like a decade. The table is set here, but again, the expectations will be high, even though that bar is low.

Exactly how low.

Here's the Bears quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era, Literally the worst overall there's been some positive moments. Josh McCown had a pretty decent run for like half of the twenty thirteen season.

I mean Jay Cutler.

They made a run with Jay Cutler. They went to a super Bowl with Rex Scrozman. This is where that's true. This is what Cayleb Williams now is walking into. You know what was experienced, Well, not quite the entire super Bowl era of Bears quarterbacks, but certainly a good chunk of it. Our buddy Adam Rank, who often appears on this show.

To talk fantasy football.

He's going to be back to do the AFC West State of the Franchise later on. He's a brilliant analyst of the game. But in this moment, Rank, if we welcome you into the show, I just want you to put on your Bear's super fan hat for a moment. You've waited a long time for what looks like potentially the face of the franchise quarterback they have not had in your lifetime. As you say them rhyming seem arrivy. You see him hitting the practice field tomorrow, What are the emotions like? What's going through your body and your brain right now?

First of all, this is very unfair to Jim McMahon, who was a very good quarterback who won a Super Bowl. Obviously, Jay Cutler had some fine times, and then it's Walter Payton on the halfback option, the three best Bears quarterbacks in my lifetime. The one thing that I really appreciate about what the Bears have done with Caleb Williams so far is that he comes into camp with no competition. Remember a couple of years ago, when Mitch Trubisky was there, they had signed Mike Glennon and they did the song and dance with them. When Justin Field was brought in, they had Andy Dalton on the team, and again it was well, we're going to sort of work him in. They didn't really have a plan. There has been a plan since day one for Caleb Williams, and the plan was to get him on the field as quickly as possible and surround him with the most talent that's ever surrounded a number one overall draft pick. So I think that the expectations should be a little bit higher because I think that people tend to forget this Bears team won seven.

Games last year.

They didn't have the number one pick because they were awful. It was because Carolina was awful. Now they've got a great opportunity to go out there and make some noise. And in addition to those seven wins, they had three losses where they had over a ninety percent chance of winning. It didn't work out for them. We should have high expectations, and I say we as a collective, not just Bears fans, but fans of the NFL in general, because this Bears team is going to hit the ground running.

Jim McMahon undefeated as the Bears starting quarterback in nineteen eighty five when he happened to be playing with the greatest running back of all time and probably the greatest defense of all time.

Nothing against Jim McMahon.

He started sixty one games total for Chicago. I would certainly think that they're going to try to hit the over with Caleb Williams Rank, We'll be coming back to you on this story a whole lot more, but stick around.

You're gonna be with us later on in the show.

There's also another rookie quarterback in the NFC North who now is officially under contract. That is JJ McCarthy, who agreed to terms today with the Minnesota Vikings on his fully guaranteed four year contract with a fifty year option in plenty of time before the Vikings rookies report to camp on Sunday. JJ McCarthy Steve walks into a situation where he's not the unquestioned starter like Caleb William. It's not a certainty that he's out there in Week one. But when you trade up even one spot and you go and get a guy in the top ten at quarterback, everyone knows JJ McCarthy's time is coming. That competition with Sam Darnold, who started a bunch of games for a bunch of teams, will be one of the fascinating storylines following camp.

Yeah, I mean, look and the meter is running. Like you said, he drafts a quarterback dot high. He's going to be the starter at one time and at one point this season. But head coach Kevin O'Connell came out and said, you can't write it necessarily down as to when that's going to happen.

It is more of a field thing.

So of course in training camp it's.

Going to be how much does McCarthy take to the offense, how much does he understand opposing coverages, how much does he understand the protection plan. But more than anything, and this goes overlooked a lot of time times, is how do the other ten guys in the huddle respond to him? If all of a sudden there's a little more bounce in their step over and over like okay, then maybe you accelerate getting him on the field, like this is the guy we feel comfortable with.

Right.

You saw that when the Niners put in Rock Purty, they played a different style of football than they played with Jimmy Garoppolo.

That's when you understood that he was a guy they feel comfortable with.

And I think that's what Kevin O'Connell, the head coach of the Vikings again, is going to be really factoring into when it's time to pull the plug on.

Darnold and to put JJ McCarthy in the starting line.

One of the questions on JJ McCarthy coming on in the draft, of course, was well, why didn't they throw the football more? They were a run dominant team, they didn't have to pass the ball a lot. He impressed a lot of people with what he did is pro day. The fact that he slung it the way that he did played his way into being a guy who nobody would have had as a first round prospect probably going into this season, ends up a top ten pick, is certainly going to have a lot of eyes on him in camp in Minnesota. Meanwhile, a couple picks later, Bonnette became a Denver Bronco. That was really not a surprise to a lot of people within the league, who said, fifty two careers starts the son of a coach. He's going to do exactly what Sean Payton tells him to do. It's the perfect fit in Denver. Nick said recently that he expects a and I quote very respectful competition with Zach Wilson and Jared Stidham. Respectfully, it's hard to imagine this competition doesn't go in the direction in Nix.

It's respectful right now.

In off season workouts, hey guys, and thanks for the help this and I really appreciate you. I'm going to pick up after you. You pick up after me. Now it's time for somebody to go get it. And Bo Nicks, you were drafted to go get this job.

Now.

You hear a lot of people say that Zach Wilson really looked good in offseason workouts as he should have. He's got veteran experience, he's got incredible talent, But this is a young player that Sean Payton wants to build his team around.

So we're going to see how this competition goes.

Because as much as you know that there's still kind of a grace period as to what they're going to do with the Broncos, Sean Payton has to win ball games, right people, Nothing's going to get fired, but at some point people are going to say in New Orleans, was it Breeze or was it Peyton? If Sean Payton doesn't continue to win ball game. So I think this is a situation where he's going to put the best person in but bo Nick is the guy they're going to groom to get in there. So that respectful competition might get disrespectful pretty soon.

And they've been in a transition phase through the course of the Soft Seed and you trade away Jerry Judy, John Cortland Sutton who still wants a new contract, and that situation remains to be resolved here as we lead up to the reporting date for training camp next week, they've got a lot of young guys that they're excited about. Ly one of Bonex's former college teammates. They've invested in that position, but who emerges as the pass catchers is going to be certainly one of the big storylines as we talk about the Broncos moving forward. Meanwhile, another contract situation that remains unresolved is in Green Bay, where Jordan Love Well to this point, has not gotten a new deal to replace the one year that's left on the Bridge Deal, the band aid deal that he signed last year to avert the Packers having to exercise his fifty option. Reporters tried to ask Jordan love at his charity event last week, a pr guy who doesn't understand that the media shows up to those events so that they can get off one question about football topics jumped in would and let him answer it. The answers, though, Steve, are going to come soon. It's not a matter of if the Packers get something done with Jordan Love, it's a matter of when. And the price is about as high as you could possibly have bet.

Yeah.

Look, this is a guy who waited a long time to start, so waiting to get this deal done is something he's probably like, Okay, it's going to get done, like you said, Tom, But it is the number.

Is he going to get one of.

These crazy fifty million dollars a year plus APY contracts that's kind of the going rate in three or four years from now. That may be kind of a bargain floor rate, a middle of the market rate. So he's probably going to get something like that because he proved over the back half of the last season that the investment that they have made in him in terms of developing him and sticking with him to replace Aaron Rodgers, was worth it. And he is the reason why and what we saw at the end of last year and how he to b is why the Green Bay Packers are going to be in the playoff conversation all season long because they have pieces in place, including Tom a group of young receivers and tight ends.

Who he's come up with.

I mean that kind of growth period together with his receiving targets, along some of the running backs that they have. With Josh Jacobs coming over, they've got pieces in place to support him.

Also had Marshawn Lloyd in the draft, they got j Dillon back. Every wide receiver and tight end on the team last year was a rookie or a second year player. And those guys delivered down the stretch. Another year of experience, another year for Jordan Love. This is a situation where the player has the leverage. The price is only going to go up if he continues to do what he's doing. Let's see if they can come to it accord prior to training camp so that everybody can turn their full attention to.

The regular season.

Meanwhile, a veteran player got a deal with a new team Earlier today, The Ravens agreed to terms on a one year deal with former Bears All Pro safety Eddie Jackson. He was released back in Fibruary. Thirty years old at this point, but you know, the Ravens like those veterans in their secondary. Now they add another one. Meanwhile, a longtime NFL running back is called it quits. Kenyon Drake, who ran for over thirty eight hundred yards, announced today that he is retiring. He was part of this play, one of the wildest in NFL history, from Devonte Parker to Kenyan Drake.

He fakes the pitch and then outruns.

Wait is that Patriots safety Rob Gronkowski.

Stumbling to try to get him at the goal line.

A sixty nine yard walk off win back in twenty eighteen, Kenyon Drake walking away always though a part of Miami.

Lore Football is back.

Celebrate by watching his teams cross the league take the field for training. Camp Back Together Weekend presented by YouTube TV.

Catch the action on.

NFL Network, NFL Plus, ABC and ESPN. Go to NFL dot com Slash Back Together Weekend for more information. Subscription required for NFL Plus. The Jaguars among those teams rolling back in in the coming days. But can Trevor Lawrence be rolling without the guy catching all the passes in this highlight, Cliff Calvin Ridley.

He's now a Titan, still in the.

Division, Lawrence has some new pass catchers. Camp Wolf help us break down things in Jacksonville. Next on The Insiders, the Flight Football Championships are underway in Canton, Ohio. Don't miss the action all weekend long. Nearly three hundred regional squads are competing in this first of its kind tournament, all games streaming live on NFL Plus and the ESPN networks. Sign up for NFL Plus today to access all the games and much more. Not that long until the Jaguars are playing some games. Trevor Lawrence's hair already in mid season form.

But will that offense that was a bumpy of.

Times last year be able to hit the ground as they report to camp for answers on that. Let's welcome in our Cam Wolf alongside me, Tom Pelisero here on the Insiders Cam Jaguars rookies reporting to the building today, obviously, so the quarterbacks also.

Making their way in.

Tell me about these young guys and who potentially can help out Trevor Lawrence in twenty twenty four.

Yeah, Tom, let's start with Brian Thomas Junior. I can't wait to see him in training camp. He's their first round big and he's got a big opportunity to replace the role vacated by Calvin Ridley. Remember Ridley had that last minute switch to go to the Tennessee Titaness, their division rival, and that's over one thousand yards seventy six receptions out of the door, and Brian Thomas has an opportunity to get that role very quickly. Trevor Lawrence loves to throw the deep ball, and it just so happens that Brian Thomas one of his best skill sets is creating vertical separation down the field.

I talk with coaches this all season.

They discussed how everything they saw on tape at LSU has shown up early in OTAs his speed, his ability to separate, and I can't wait to see him pass going against number one defenses in training camp. I was at LSU's pro day where everybody was talking about Melik Neighbors and Jaye Daniels, and I had one GM just rating to me about Brian Thomas.

He said, I see Brandon Iyuk in this game. I think what he can.

Do in the NFL is a lot more than what he was asked to do in LSU, and he can be a number one receiver sooner than later. And tom last thing, I talked to one Jaguars coach about Brian Thomas. He had one nugget of constructive quitter's criticism. He said, I want him to be more vocal. He's been so smart, he's getting so much, but he's quiet. And I don't know about you, tom My. Coaches and teachers had the opposite complain about me. They said I wouldn't shut up, and I was less than one percent of the talent that Brian Thomas was, So I think he'll be all right.

And here's the thing that was a real comparison that I heard the same thing through the course of the process, which was if you just look at the measurables on Brian Thomas, you look at Brian Thomas's highlight reel, it arguably is as good or better than Malik Neighbors. But Malik Neighbors was the in that program. He was the one who wanted the ball. He was the emotional leader. Brian Thomas the play was up and down. He didn't always see him exude that type of passion. So it'd be fascinating to see how the dynamics kind of work out, especially because there is a big void for somebody to step forward as that number one wide receiver. Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence, we know he got paid, he got the fifty five million dollars per year. His own play has been inconsistent at times. The Jaguars offense didn't play well down the stretch last season. Heading into twenty twenty four, Cam, what are they looking for out.

Of Trevor Lawrence.

Yeah, big money.

Trevor comes with big expectations, and look, that's the reality of their situation, the perils of pressure and expectations. Jaguars fans expect them to get back to where they were in twenty twenty two. The highlight of the Trevor Lawrence and Doug Peterson are in that second half of the season where they made the playoff one, they won a playoff game, and last year they took a step back. They collapsed late in the season, and so Trevor Lawrence has talked about that and he said, I accepted as the franchise quarterback. I don't feel any extra pressure. But the one thing he does need to work on is his turnovers. He's had sixty turnovers in his first three seasons, most of any quarterback. And while he's shown a lot of potential he's a really good quarterback. To get to that great level with some of the elite quarterbacks that we.

Talk about all the time, those turnovers have to take a dip.

And talking to the people in that building, they believe sometimes it's just him being a superhero trying to do too much at times, and they hope this year with him being more vocal in the offense, being more comfortable and having more experience than he can take the safer route at times. Remember Trevor's not even twenty five yet so even though he's big money, he's still learning and they thinking you're four, he can elevate and see that next level of his game. I can't wait to get to do Vault because one early thing to watch will be his chemistry with those receivers Brian Thomas as we discussed, but also Gabe Davis.

Coming in filling in as well.

How early do they click with those two fast outside receivers. We know he's going to be throwing the ball to Christian Kirk and Evan Ingram, but those other two that could be the key to unlocking how far is Jaguars team can go and if they can steal that division back from the Houston Texans, who.

Have had a lot of hype this offseason.

Cam stick around.

We're going to talk with you about another former number one overall pick in just a little bit. But first let's talk a little bit about another highly drafted quarterback from a year ago. That is Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts, who made four starts as a rookie last season, got injured in three of them. Season ended he had shoulder surgery. Everything seemed to be heading into the right direction. Did miss the last day of mini camp. Sounds like they just threw a ton of balls the day before decided to hold him back. Richardson said himself that he's been feeling really good as we get set to head into training camp.

Here, Steve Anthony Richardson, year two.

Job one obviously, don't take those hits, stay on the front. What else can he do if he accomplishes job one?

Well, first off, you know, Chris ballad general manager, said he's going to be a full go when they start training camp, So that's a good sign. Like you said, the durability protecting himself. But Shane Stike and his head coach is showing to be a very creative play designer, so they're going to do some things to get him on the move but also play him in the pocket. The thing that Anthony Richardson has to live up to is nine and eight. That's the record that they had last season when he wasn't there most of the time when Gardner Minshew was playing quarterback. They don't want to dip below that line there, which would put him below five hundred when he's supposed to be the answer to their problems. They don't have some of the drama they had last year. Tom remember this time they had Jonathan Taylor wanting a contract extension coming into training camp.

That was an issue.

It's all calm seas right now if they're our seas in the Midwest, Indianapolis. So Anthony Richardson, he's got an opportunity. You're seeing him right here just doing an RPO. He's running it, but he's got to protect himself. What he does is that's not going to go away. That's part of their offense. It's part of what they're going to be able to do because he is such a special athletic talent. But again, just approve the accuracy, stay on the field. I think Shane Stiken and the supporting staff are going to help him.

Part of that supporting staff.

That defense, that defense is stacked. They had Laotu lot to off the edge to combine with Putty pay at Sampson abucom they could get a lot of takeaways to get Anthony Richardson some more possessions.

Cam as he says, has Duval covered. I'm going to be in India on I believe August fifth excited to see Anthony Richardson two point Oh are you excited to see some NFL football this season? Well, guess what Tickets are now on sale. The twenty twenty four NFL season is fast approaching. Single game tickets on sale now. Visit NFL dot com slash tickets to purchase tickets today. Tickets are available through ticket Master, seat Geek, and Sports Illustrated Tickets members of the NFL Ticket Network. Certainly a whole lot of intrigue around the Jets, though arguably less hype than a year ago. We kind of did this. We saw four snaps of that guy Aaron Rodgers. What does twenty twenty four hold for him? What does it hold for a defense and some of its bright young stars like that guy Jermaine Johnson. He's with us, but talk about the twenty twenty four Jets. Next on the Insiders, A big season for the New York Jets kicks off in Earnest four days from now. That is when the Jets veterans will be reporting to training camp. Aaron Rodgers, of course, and also guys like that Jermaine Johnson and that stacked Jets defense hoping to make up for what ended up being a have a little bit of a weird twenty twenty three season, as we welcome in Jermaine Johnson headed into year three in the NFL. It's great to see you again. Man, four days away for reporting to camp. How are you feeling, No.

We're feeling good, man, I'm feeling great. Body feels good. I always like to say this ahead of a new season. It's like I got a new car. I can't wait to pull it off the lote.

So obviously we you know, we see a lot of Aaron Rodgers there, but I'm glad we got your face in that little hype video because this defense top to bottom looks like it's set up to be among the NFL's best. What do you see being around that team throughout the course of the spring, and what's your expectations for this season?

I mean, you said it there.

We're looking to be the NFL's best, and there's not a doubt in our mind we are. So we just got to build on what we did last year. And you know, we do a great job of, you know, holding no excuses. So whatever the case may be, we have to prevail. And you know, it's hard for a team to beat if they scored zero points, So that's always the goal.

So Robert Sala, I know we's spent more time working with the offense, being around the offense in those meetings for the course of the offseason. Tell me about Jeff Oldbrick, a guy who probably doesn't get talked about a lot Becauseola has got a defensive background, But I know from just talking to people around that building that he's a guy who's really valued.

One hundred percent.

I mean I was just in there today talking to him, and I mean he's a guy that's done it at a high level and has been successful doing it.

So it's always.

Easier when you have a coach like that, you know, leading you because you know you've they've done it and they've done it at a high level. So yeah, I mean that speaks for itself. Let alone kind of how he enters the day every single day with a you know, a great head on their shoulders and a great outlook. And I mean he's a guy that's hitted me of just getting through, you know, and battling triumph, you know what I mean. So I'll just look up tremendously to him and you know how he operates for sure.

All right, So let's talk about that quarterback number. Eight.

We got all four snaps from him last season. He was there through most of the spring activities. What do you see right now at Aaron Rodgers.

First ballot Hall of Famer. That'll never change.

So, like you said, four snaps into the you know, twenty twenty three season, we lost him and that was a huge hit. But I mean, like you said, he's been at all the voluntary stuff and he's been balling being here, and so I mean, I'm just excited to play with him. I grew up watching them, and you know, I'm excited to be his teammate, and i know he's going to come through for us, and you know, my goal is to just come through for the team.

You grew up though, Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Were you a Vikings fan? Were you rooting against Aaron Rodgers all those Packers years?

I couldn't help it. I couldn't help but do that. And you know, being a Vikings fan back then was pretty hard. You know, he always got there but didn't really make anything shake. So, I mean, Aaron's been dogging guys in the league for quite a long time now, So I'm just excited. You know, I'm going to be on the right side of it, and you know, backing him up.

Well.

Obviously a lot was made of Aaron not being at the two days of the mandatory mini camp. He was traveling at the time. Coach Sall said it was on excuse how much of it all did the locker room care about that? And how much if any, does it impact he as he had in the training camp here.

Zero impact. I mean we didn't care.

He had stuff he had to handle, and like you said, he's been at all the voluntary stuff, So it doesn't really make much sense to sit there and scrutinize a guy that's been at all the things he doesn't have to, especially a first ballot Hall of Famer that you know a lot of people would think that, you know, why would you have to go to that or why would you go to that? Still, but I mean he has been and he's been stepping up and being the leader for this team as everybody expects him to be and he expects of himself. So I mean there's zero impact. We know he's he's airing on and off the field, and you know he's going to be a great leader that everybody looks up to and you know, continue to be so.

So tell me about yourself here, Jamine.

I remember we first met on the practice field down in Mobile, Alabama at the Resa Senior Bowl. You you had a long road to get to this point, to get into the NFL. Seven and a half sacks last season. What's next? Where do you go from here?

Go up?

Progress? One percent?

I always like to say that, you know, the slope to you know, progress looks like this. It doesn't look like this. So if you're staying the same, you're getting worse. So the goal is to just keep getting better and better. And uh, you know my mangal is to just be be everything and then some for my team and you know, do my job and then a little bit more.

You finally, you finally got your pick six, right, so we're gonna we're gonna be adding to that, even catch the balls up the jugs machines, Like, what what's next year for you?

One hundred percent? I need I need like two more of those. Those those one of the best fields ever. Uh So yeah, one hundred percent go out there and make spectacular plays and uh, you know, be extraordinary and be a superstar.

That's what I got on my notebook.

See I'm watching I'm watching the replays here in studio. Like if you didn't tell me, if you didn't you know, if I didn't know, who was that you for home?

Like?

Is that demo Samuel on the Jets once the big man gets the ball in.

His hands, like you were you were motoring out there?

Man, hey man, you just go check out the huddle. You know what I'm saying.

I was a little receiver in high school, a little bit started both ways, so you know, I wasn't new to it.

Now you're on and now you're on the Goon squad right based on the based on the shirt you got here, the godfather of the Goon squad.

One hundred percent. And uh, you know a funny story about this shirt. This is actually a tribute to, uh, you know, all the practice squad guys we have on our team that service us and give us a great look. And this is a you know shirt that the that the coaches made and the equipment made for those guys, because you know, without them, the team wouldn't be the team and we wouldn't get the looks we get. Uh, So shout out to them, Shout out to the Goon squad always.

That's really cool. That's you know, yeah, it takes everybody.

It takes everybody to make the type of run, playoff run, maybe championship run that you guys want to put together this year. After after everything you've been through over the past year, all the you know, the emotion and the hype that went into last season. You step back into the building four days from now for training camp. What's the message that you want to convey and you hope everybody takes in in that Jets building.

I want to know every week, want to know every practice, want to know every rep. I mean, just take it slow, handle what's on the plate in front of you, and you know, shop with carry water. It's corny, it's cliche, but you know, it couldn't be more than the truth. So I mean, just just look at that. Don't make things bigger.

Than it is.

Don't let the moment be bigger than you, be bigger than the moment, ball out be you. I mean, we got super bowler bus. So that's kind of how we're looking at it. That's how I'm definitely looking at it. So with that being said, like I said, it's just want to know every week, want to know every practice, Want to know every rep.

Super Bowl or bus that all starts July twenty third or four to training camp to Maine. Have fun, good luck man. Thanks a Lov for coming on the show for.

So man, and you know I'm having fun out there. I can't wait.

Football is back.

Celebrate by watching his teams across the league take the field for training camp. Back Together Weekend presented by YouTube TV. That's the action on NFL Network, NFL Plus, ABC, and ESPN. At NFL dot com Slash Back Together Weekend for more information. Subscription required for NFL Plus.

Can the Chiefs make it a three piece? That's the mission they are on as.

They get set to report to Saint Joseph as a full squad on Saturday. We get into the state of the AFC West and boy have there been some changes.

That's next on The Insiders.

Thirteen seconds to Go, twenty two to nineteen San Francisco.

A touchdown wins the game. A you got Church right, Boss Shuttle, Tom and Jerry Roy Yellow let.

Tomano play action fake right side trow tucks down.

Jacksau City down.

To pat super Bowl champion The Kansas City Chiefs.

Back to back Baby with another set back Hey, we're not done, dog. I want three. I want back to back to back.

Now going for three in a row, going for his four super Bowl overall for Patrick Mahomes after a season in which, let's remember, the Chiefs posted their worst regular season record of the Patrick Mahomes era. It was not an easy path to get there, and yet once again Kansas City on top.

Can they make it three in a row? For more? In the state of the AFC West, Let's rank.

Welcome in Adam Rank to the insiders along with me, Tom Peliicero rank. The Chiefs rookies have reported. The veterans are in camp tomorrow. What are you looking for? What is the state of the Chiefs as they enter this three peak push?

Well, you heard Patrick Mahomes say it right there.

He wants number three and a big reason why he's firmly in the goat chase, chasing down Tom Brady as the best quarterback of all time.

And I think it comes down to those two guys.

And now Patrick Mahomes has an opportunity to do something that Tom Brady's never done, which is.

Win three Super Bowls in a row.

And it's interesting when people talk about this, they're like, well, look how far Patrick Mahomes has come already. You're like, yeah, Tom Brady did the same thing, Like he won three and four years, he lost two super Bowls, won two Super Bowls, lost a Super Bowl, won a Super Bowl, went to Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl. So Patrick Mahomes still has some work to do, but to do something that hasn't been done in the NFL standards, And I don't want the Packer fans coming after maybe like we've won three NFL shut up, we got it. Okay, you won three NFL titles in the twenties, the nineteen twenties, we get it.

But this is something that's unprecedented.

And if there is one guy that I have faith in doing it, it's Patrick Mahons because last season, as you said, it wasn't an easy road. They didn't even need home field advantage and they still walk through that AFC like nobody who's business. So I'm not putting it past them, but it is very difficult. The last team that he became close Dallas Cowboys nineteen ninety four. They got all the way to the NFC Championship Game, felled by the forty nine ers, and that was as close as anybody's ever gone.

Adam, we gave you your Bears super fan time.

At the top of the show, I was told this was going to be analyst Adam Rank, So no more Packer shots.

Let's focus on the ball for.

The rest of the segle. Let's go to Denver. Okay, let's go to the Broncos. Another year here with Sean Payton. What is the state of this Denver team that obviously has had some big changes, including at the quarterback position.

I think it all comes down to the quarterback and what they have with bow Nicks.

This is going to be determining what happens with the future of this franchise and really the legacy of Sean Payton moving forward. The one thing about this quarterback is that we've seen him for a long time. Like this guy was playing college football against Justin Herbert for crying out loud, and now he's going to be going out and being in the same division as him. And listening to some of the quarterbacks.

Talk about him. I was watching something with Jordan Palmer.

And they were kind of comparing him to a more athletic Drew Brees, and I'm like, Okay, let's let's pump the brakes a little bit. It's kind of like when you hear comics talking about a comics comic, like, yeah, that's usually not the greatest thing. But he has done some nice things during his college career, and if this one pans out for the Broncos, I think it'll kind of help alleviate some of the problems they've had over the last couple of years. They do probably need to upgrade the wide receiver room a little bit. Jerry Judy's obviously not there, but would love to see somebody step up alongside of Courtland Sutton. Maybe maybe it's you know, I'm now blanking on the guy's name, the rookie from last year. I can't even think of it anymore. I lost it because I was so upset in fantasy. He started the first four games and then the Sean Payton got rid of him. I'm drawing a blank. Yeah, Marvin Moore, I want Marvin Mins the Steve though.

I was gonna let you, I was gonna give you more time.

Oh man, all right, you mentioned Justin Derbert in there. The Chargers. Obviously, Jim Marbaugh is coming in. It's a massive story It's massive expectation because Jim Harborough's first year with the forty nine Ers, they go thirteen and three, They roll right into the NFC Championship game.

What's the state of the Chargers? All those superstars and.

Now the head coach is coming off a national title.

Yeah, that's a big thing.

I mean, outside of a special teams blunder, the forty nine Ers would have been in the Super Bowl and they went to overtime against the Giants and ended up losing that game. Giants go on to beat Tom Brady and all that good stuff. Jim Harbaugh has made quick turnarounds in San Francisco and of course with Michigan. But to me, this seems eerily similar to what he had when he took over Stanford. Stanford was kind of a downtrodden program that he needed a few years to get them up to speed. They started off four and eight in his first year at Stanford and then eventually became one of the powers in the Pac twelve and then going on and having some run as a national powerhouse as well.

And I believe that's what we're looking at with the Chargers.

They have won too many holes to fill before they truly become one of the elite teams in the AFC, which I truly believe will happen.

Jim Harbaugh is that good. This team will be good.

Drafting Joe All was a huge move for them because you want to be good in the offensive line, and I think that's going to be a huge thing with him and Greg Roman, and it's probably to the detriment of Justin Herbert's fantasy. But at the same time, Kamari Vadal, by the way, I want to throw this out to Kamari Vidal is a player to watch. I've already switched over Tom like I'm finishing this state of the franchise, and then you would think, like after doing thirty two of these, they'd give me a day off. Now I got to go back and start doing fantasy profiles starting on Monday. Kamari Vidal is somebody to watch out. But I think the Chargers will be there eventually, but probably not this year.

Kamani Vindol, the grandson of Hank Aaron. You've got him as a fantasy target, and he was a fancy target. This is a whole other segment.

That's a whole other stinger. We can do that on Monday. I'll come back.

Sound good, I'll be here, You'll be here. Well, we got nothing but time. The Raiders.

Meanwhile, they've had a wild few years here, from John Gruden to making the playoffs with Rich Vasacci, to Josh McDaniels to Antonio Piers. Now Pierce has the full time head coaching job, doesn't.

Necessarily know who is starting quarterback is yet. What's the state of the Raiders.

Well, I really like what the Raiders did with Antonio Pierce.

It kind of harkens back to the glory days of Al Davis, who would go out there and get these coaches who might have been a year or two off of the prize, like they weren't like household names, Like he picked up John Madden and then Tom Flores and then Mike Shanahan and then even John Gruden Lane Kiffin like he always had this knack of finding these these coaches to become the leaders of this team.

And that's what the Raiders are at right now.

And I thought that the team responded last year with Antonio Pierce. The offense was better, the defense was better. DeVante Adam actually seemed happy for a moment. I'm sorry that's a borderline Packers shot, but it's not.

I like what the Raiders are doing.

I truly believe that Gardner Minshew is kind of an upgrade for them.

I really do. I thought Gardner Minshew.

You talked about it in a segment previously about how well he played for the Colts last year. I believe he becomes the quarterback for the Raiders and they're very competitive this season.

Real quick, before we let you go, Rank, Marvin Mims is draftable in fantasy.

Yes, Marvin Mims was great for the first four weeks and then, for whatever reason, disappeared and I was not happy about it. I want a full Marvin Mims season.

We're gonna make you disappear until Monday. Give you a take the weekend, Okay, take a break, Oh thank you. We'll see it very soon.

Here.

That's Adam Rank. NFL is back. So is the top one hundred? Well, Max Crosby make another appearance. I'm gonna say it's a pretty good chance.

Yes. Find out who the players voted as the best.

Player in the NFL and do NFL Plus starting July twenty second for Exclusive Daily and to find out who took home the Trophy. Go to plus dot NFL dot com to sign up today. Probably not gonna hear Bryce Young's name on that list. This year a disaster all around the Carolina Panthers in twenty twenty three, but could it take a big step forward in twenty twenty four. Camp Wolf's get to join next to talk about some new players who might help Young take a big step forward.

That's next on the Insiders.

The Panthers rookies reporting for duty, Xavier Lee Ghent, Jonathan Brooks and the rest of the crew. The worst team in the NFL is no way around it. Two and fifteen. Last season, the Bears ended up with the number one overall pick.

They get Caleb Williams.

Panthers hoping for a big step forward from last year's number one pick Bryce Young. As we welcome back in Cameron Wolf with me Tom Pellisero here on the Insiders, Let's focus on the rookies, Cam with those guys coming to work to obviously they need all the help that they can get around Bryce Young and certainly Dan Morgan use some of the relatively limited resources he had to try to show up those positions.

Yeah, Tom, let's not sugarcoated This was the worst offense of football last year. They needed help badly, and Zay were Lagette their first round pick. They traded up in the first round to get him. It's going to be a huge weapon for Bryce Young. He's a huge target, six twenty two pounds and I don't know what I'm more excited about to hear his deep southern draw that's when viral on social media, or to see him catching passes For Bryce Young, they needed this level of talent infusion, and it's really going to be an important period early in training camp to see him because he missed a lot of OTA's with a hamstring injury and all with mini camp, and so they want to see how he can develop that chemistry of Bryce. Adam Thielen was their leading receiver last year. He'll be thirty four the start of this season, and so Lagett has a big opportunity to take hold of that offense along with Deontay Johnson. And the other guy I'm eager to see is Jonathan Brooks, running back they drafted in the second round. He's coming off of twenty acl in November, so he's going to start the training camp on the non football injury list coming back from that injury, but Dave Canalis said a month ago that at some point this summer before the season, they hoped to work him back in. Once he's ready to go, he could quickly emerge as the lead back in that offense. Dave Canallis wants to lean on the run game, and so Brooks and Legett could be huge weapons for Bryce Young for years to come.

Speaking to Dave Canalis, he is there for a lot of reasons in Carolina, but the biggest one fixed Bryce Young because that was not the Bryce Young we saw last season that had made himself the number one pick during his time at Alabama.

How do they do that?

What are the keys as we move forward here for Bryce Young and Carolina?

Yeah, Tom, talking to people in that building, that's the big thing I've heard is that they're aligned in their communication with Bryce Young. Last year, the situation was there's a lot of different coaches with different visions and it became clutter, too many cooks in the kitchen. But Dave Canalis and his staff they've worked together in a lot different spots and they've really been aligned in how they're speaking to him, their vision of what they want to have for him. And I talked to a key Panthers figure earlier this offseason and he said the biggest thing he noticed in Bryce is that he's much more upbeat and positive. And he said that's something we didn't see a lot last year, and that kind of mirrors Dave Canalis if you've seen him.

He's very upbeat and positive.

And remember he coached Baker Mayfield as his offensive coordinator and play caller in Tampa Bay last year.

The hope is that this year he can unlock Bryce.

One big thing that Dan Morgan the GM did for Bryce is get two big guards and Robert Hunt and Damian Lewis to be able to protect that interior. Bryce is a short quarterback. You need that interior in the pocket to be good. He was sacked sixty two times last year. He's got to have a shot to survive this year, and they think he'll be in a better position to succeed.

Cam Thank you very much.

Bruce.

Shown's pretty accurate quarterback. Could he maybe be an Olympic flag football type of guy? Who would you pick to be the quarterback of the flag football team? Steve Which and I have some idea is we'll bring him to you next on The Insiders. We'll be back on Monday with more of the Insiders, and that guy is gonna join US forty nine Ers tight end George Kittle. What's the latest going on with Brandon Ayuk?

What are the expect Tason's like for a forty nine Ers team?

Was oh so close to another Lombardi in the case Kittle and a whole lot more when The Insiders comes back on Monday. Meanwhile, over on NFL Plus, we got highlight Skalore in the Flag Football Championships. There are tons of teams. You can watch all the games and plays like this. Look at the hands right there. Check it out right now on NFL Plus. Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pilaicero, Steve White play football at Olympic Sport in twenty twenty eight. If there's an active NFL player you want is your quarterback for.

The US, who is it?

Act, It's gonna be Kyler Murray because if he has to scramble, he's gonna be a tough dude to get the flag off of.

But he's also got.

A rocket man. You watch this guy throw it. Kyler Murray would be perfect for the Olympic Flag football team.

I'm gonna say, Brock Purdy, I'm this first in yards per attempt the light window throws last season, he was first in almost every downfield passing Instead, He's one of the best in the NFL in rhythm and he can move to those the two characteristics I want with my Olympic quarterback.

I could see Brock Purdy being that guy.

Well, you know, if they don't decide to have the active NFL players in, just fire up Tom Brady. It'll be like we can still get out there and diced up.

Thank you very much. Next week on this show, everybody's in camp. You should be here too. See it.